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Daalder, J. (Ed.). (1982). Thyestes (J. Heywood, Trans.) (New Mermaids series). London: Ernest Benn Limited.
Copyright (1982) Ernest Benn Limited. Published version of the text reproduced here with permission from the editor and the publisher. Personal use of this material is permitted.
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If L. A N. S e N E C A E CHORVS. Anaporfrici,pra-ur unum & alrcrum Adonlum. vo tm.trurn,{uprrionq; parrns, Q Cuius ttd ort us noCl1s opac~C Dtc~M omnr fogit,quo Ut'rtls rtt"rf J..'itdioq; dmn pnd1s Olympof Cur Phcxbe tuos .rapls aJPcCl~Mf :Nondum {ru.nuntiuf bor~C N ott urn auocat .lumina urjptr. ·.~~ fa)cnrra rnhtulrb ~hp~ Non®m Htf1mi.~:flrxur~t rot~ rftrs fdUbfullr 4'n;h1 Jubtt cmrricos {olun-e CU7Tu5. (brb bP }afprr ""'~ :N ond&~m in r.oflrm urrgrntr die tDool' frlfotut of Tttti.t mifit buccin11 fignum. 3:1Coln£ .Cob Stupct ad {ubit~C ttmpord cCXM lcgt Non dum fofTu bub~M 4Tdtor. CR _,JfOJble QEid tt td'rtio ptpulit c:ur{u! Qg.c C.tU{4 tUOJ finUtt CrTtO Driedt equosfnunquid dperto IMPRINTED AT Cdl'ure DitJ) uiCli,trntztnt konbon an 1lrtrftncc BeUd gigdntcstnunquid Tit''" an tbr bf»ae lata Pettore fiffo rrncuat uetms C[bomae 15tr:; Saucitu ir.t~fnum reidlo r~dcUt8. Latus txpticuit monte T bypboe!Uf •ftnnitur Nunquid•firuitur ui.t Pbleguos ~nno. J 56 e. Alt:Zf. per boftesfc- T beff41icum 2 6.dic Man.,. TbreJTtt pmmtur Pelion 6ffaf Soliu mundi prrirrc uices. Nibil occa{tu,nibil ortus rrit. Stupet Eoos ttJTum. deo . Trdtrt
Act IV, Chorus, in Gryphius' editzon (I 541 ) [Dedication] To the Right Honourable Sir John Mason, Knight, one of the Queen's Majesty's Privy Council, his daily ora tor jasper Heywood wishes health with increase of honour and virtue.
As bounden breast doth bear the poorest wight That duty doth in trifling token send, As he that doth with plenteous present quite Of prouder price and glitt'ring gold his friend, Who so repay'th with money's mighty mass 5 The good that he at other's hands hath found, Remembrance of the benefice doth pass; He thinks himself to him no longer bound. The poor, whose pow'r may not with price repay The great good gifts that he receiv'd before, 10
Dedication (called 'The Ep1stle' in 1560): john Mason (1503-66) was appointed to the Privy Council in 1543, and was Chancellor of Oxford Universitv when, in 1560, H dedicated Th_y~ces to him. Apart from being Mason·~ 'daily orator' (Petitioner), H had been friendly ,,.,th his decea~ed son. Mason had b«n a Fellow of All Souls College before H, who became one in 1558, ~rhaps with Mason's help, after he had earlier that year been forced to resign as a Fdlow of Merton College. H t$ expressing graurude to an effective patron. Cf H's 'Preface', 173 ff. 1-4 1\s . • friend The poorest creature, though acknowledging that he bears a 'bounden breast', sometimes repays his benefactor just as inadequately as the rich man. because, also lacklng in 'thankful thought' (II), he instead sends, as his debt (dury), no more than a trifling token ofwhat be should see as his real ob!Jgation--something requiring attention, DO( ~rfunctorinesa. 2 rrifling (also)false, feiping 3 quire requite 4 prouder merely that, because the difference with the poor man is one of degree only, m this lund of action 7 beneflce kindncs., fa,"OUr (which price, 4, cannot com~nsate for) 7 ~neglect, let s!Jp by 3 4 SENECA!HEYWOOD With thankful thought yet gogin gift doth sway, Above the peise of pearl and gold great store. If puissant prince at poor man's hand once took A radish root, and was therewith content, The translator Your Honour then I pray this little book 15 to the book. To take in worth that I to you present; Which though itself a volume be but small, Yet greater gift it gives than ween ye might; Thou little book my messenger must be Though it a barren book be throughout all That must from me to wight of honour go; Full fruitless, yet not faithless sign in sight 20 Behave thee humbly, bend to him thy knee, It shows of him that for Your Honour prays And thee to him in lowly manner show. (As deeds of yours of him deserved have) But do thou not thyself to him present 5 That God above prolong your happy days, When with affairs thou shalt him troubled see; And make the skies your seat soon after grave. Thou shalt, perhaps, so worthily be shent, · And with reproof he thus will say to thee, 'So proudly thus pre~ume how darest thou At such a time so rashly to appear? 10 With things of weight thou seest me burd'ned now, I may not yet to trifles give mine ear.' Spy well thy time, when thou him seest alone, An idle hour for thee shall be most meet; Then step thou forth, in sight of him anone, 15 And as behoves, His Honour humbly greet. Bm now take heed what Ito thee shall tell, And all by rote this lesson take with thee; In every thing thyself to order well In sight of him, give ear and learn of me. 20 First, what or whence thou art if he would wit, Then see that thou thy title to him show, Tell him thy name is in thy forehead writ, By which he shall both thee and me well know. Then when he hath once look'd upon thy name, 25 If yet he shall neglect to read the re~t, Or if he chide and say thou art to blame With trifles such to have him so oppress'd, Beseech him yet thereof to pardon thee, Since thou art but thy master's messenger 30 Excuse thyself and lay the fault in me, At whose commandment thus thou com'st in there. II fOGin i.~. gudgeon. u>ed adj~tivally for 'very smaU', though 'll13nkfulthought' JS m fa.: I 'great store' (with •way=gi,·~ wdght tol; gudgron also may mnn 'pi\"O!al' ,with If my presumption then accuse he do, $1l'li)"=IDO\"C £0 and fro) Jl ~i. 1-1 Ic ••• _w:ar H staned work on his translation on 24th November, 1559; it "''ll$ pubtished on 26th M.arch, 1560 6 sorry expressing dist~ss 6 cniM:hicf misfonune; evil-doing. Either sen~ fits the mood, and is appropriate with reference to Tbyc$tes (of which H~r ~o he pr~tends-1s not yet thinking). 7 Aurora Roman godd~• of dawn, sad about the d~!h of Phaethon, the son of Ph~bus, tbe Sun, whose chariot he asked to drive bur could not manage. He was killed by Jove, tbe supreme deity, who hurled a thunderbolt at him to prevent further disaster. 35 him co i.e, to him 9 dreansad 36 behon.• behoof, benefit JO H ~xplo•ts the mcumsranc~ that the day was a Friday-uaditionally Venus's day and one of disaster. Venus is both the morning atar and the godd~oflove, though hue primarily -14 1n thanklul ~<·ise as in !he Dedication, H stresses the llliJ'<,lnanc~ of the dtstin.:lio:s bern·~n tbe former. It is not cl~r wh~ther the frowning causes Venus's day to be foul (as could a ~ngly slight gift and the spuir wirh which it is gi\·cn or r~ch·6i 46 Fn~g 'un-agr~ing·, unfitting be the c.se ) ormerelyexpressesd~pleasureat the fact that it is . lnphysical terms,Hmeans that the morning star is hardly viS•hlr throu~th the rain. 48 p/6ige •. of truly bounden bl?a$t as d.istincr from a ~rc !rifling, di$hon:st tokro ( Ded.Jcation. 2); though poor, H is truly gratduJ to Mason II maz6i ,\fuse i.e. stupefied inspiration (cf.10) 50 beaJman serranr who prays for soul ·of another 12 dumps atate of perplexity or absence of mind 50 d=rrdesrn 13 Morpb~us god of sleep, and panicularly dreams 13 brows eye-lids 51-1 .-\nJ ••• bean PreslliWlbly the book lw =to pray for H's 'dcs:ln', and is to confess 13 sU'Oh suu.;k ( 1560 rhymes srrookt--bookc) 'how he !H ) to Mason, to whom he gl\'CS it, owes no less-nor gives more-than tbe sign 15 me cboughc ir ~to me of a r.lunkful heart'. Or !he confession is to be that H acl:.nowl6iges (gll!nts} that he owes 15 one i.e. Scnca(26} .\bson no less (and gJ\'CS no more) than a sign of gratit sinc~re u~ . 16 dighc dressed. arrayed (the sari~ pn IS a s:gn ofdi)mity ) 7 8 SE~ECAIHEYWOOD THYESTES 9 A book he bare, and on his head of bay~ a garland green; And scan my verse in other tongue than I was wont ro write. Full grave he was, well stepp'd in years, and comely to be seen. A young man well I wot there is in rh'isle of Britany 45 His eyes like crystal shin'd; his breath full sweer, his face full (Thar from the rest of all the world aloof in seas doth lie) fine, That once this labour rook in hand. Him would I meet full fain, It seem'd he had been lodged long among the Muses nine. 20 To crave that in the rest of all my works he would take pain 'Good sir,' quoth I, 'I you beseech (since that ye seem to me To roil, as he in Tr6as did.' 'Is that your will?' quoth I. By your attire some worthy wight). it may your pleasure be I blush'd, and said, 'The same you seek, lo, here I stand you by!' so To tell me what and whence ve are.· Whereat a while he stav'd 'If thou,' quoth he, 'be whom I seek, if glory aught thee move Beholding me; anon he spake, and thus (me thought) he said: Of mine to come in after age, if Senec's name thou Jove 'Spain was,' quoth he, 'my native soil. A man of worthy fame 25 Alive to keep, I thee beseech again ro rake thy pen, Sometime I was in former age. and Seneca my name.' In metre of thy mother tongue to give to sight of men The name of Senec when I heard, then scantly could I speak: .\1y other works, whereby thou shalt deserve of them and me 55 I was so glad that from mine eyes the tears began to break ~o little thanks, when they themseh·es my tragedies shall see For joy, and with what words I should salute him I ne wist. In English ven;e, that never yet could Larin understand. I him embrac'd: his hands, his feet, and face full oft I kiss'd. 30 With my renown perhaps thy name shall fly throughout this land, And as at length my trickling tears me thought I might refrain, And tho_se that yet thee never knew shall thee both love and '0 blissful day,' quoth I, 'wherein returned is again pr.use, So worthy wight; 0 happy hour. that liefer is to me And say 'God grant this young man well to live full many days, 60 Than life, wherein it haps me so that I should Senec see! And many happy hours ro see in life; and after grave Art thou the same that whilom didst thy Tragedies indite 35 Rest, joy, and bliss eternally above the skies to ha\'e, With wondrous wit and regal style? 0 long desired sight!' That so translated hath these books.' 'To him,' quoth I, 'agajn 'And liv'st thou yet,' quoth I, 'indeed? And art thou come again (If any be that so with thanks accepts a young man's pain) To talk and dwell as thou wert wom with men? And to remain I wish great good. but well I wot the hateful cursed brood 65 In this our age?' 'I live,· quoth he, 'and never shall I die: Far greater is that are long since sprung up of Zoilus blood. The works I wrote shall still pre:.erYc my uame in memory 40 That red-hau''d, black-mouth'd, squint-eyed wretch hath couched From age to age. And now again I will revive the same, everywhere And here I come to seek someone that might renew my name, In comer close some imp of his that sits to see and hear And make me speak in stranger speech, and set my works to What each man doth, and each man blames. Nor once we may him sight, see 17 book a manuscript rather than a printed volume, containing S\ tragedies as written hy 44 scan interpret and gave a new verse-form to the 'Muse ,\\elpomena herself (207 IT.); the g>JrlJnd c>f b.J.n (laureh) is mon: likely to 45 know indicate h.is poetic excellence than h.i> political prominence woe 17 bare bore 45 Brirmy Britain (not 'llretagne') 47 chis labour of tramldttun, d rete renee to Troas(or Troades, 'The Trojan Women') rendered 18 Mepp'd in years advanced in age into Engli'h verse by H before Th•·e,\le., and published in 1559. His vague in Ius use of 19 shJn 'd shone the word 'work> t48 ~ . probably meaning that S wants him to translate the other tragedie> 19 breach scent (cf. o;,n·our, 197) rather than everyth.ing of wh.ich S wlh (or was held to be) the author. Perhaps H's 20 .Uusn nine there were nine Muses 10 imptre poets. scholars, etc., but it was aho cla,sical knowledge of S's wnting> "'•~ restn•ted to the traj!edies.(Cf. also 35, where no other works practice to invoke 'rhe .\\use'. in poetry, as thou11h there: "'lls onlr one {cf. I I l, and S's are mentioned: in 5>-6 'works' and 'tragedies' arpear to be interchangeable) con;;;ern (probably abo H's ~ would ha,·e bttn princip;~lly 11.11h .\1elpomena {208), the .\\use of Tragedy 51 aught in any degree 21 14ighc person 54 metre metrical ,·en ion 23 suy'd pau.ed 55 de.erYe earn 66 Zoilus a severe criuc of Homer, 4th c , B.C., who became synonomous ~~oith 'pedantic, 29 ne wisr knew flO! 33 Iiefer dearer carping critic', u here. POSSJbly(O'Kl the reference comes from Erasmus's ,'\ctasU 11530;. in whkh 'Zoilu~ • virtually means 'anti-humanist'. Such people were inclined to tlunlr.that 14'hilom 35 once, formerly translation of the classics led to the disintegration of religion and soeiery, and that the 40 sril/ alw11\·> t.ramlatol" wccc ina.::curate. H may be alluding to crincism of hh version of TIW$. 43 srnnger foreign ~ H wa, the fm.t Enghsh translator of S's traged.es 6i c:oo.·hed bid, put 43 ~r •• ro sighr i.e. ·~nt to the publi.:' :d. 5-I 68 imp child, offspring 10 SENECA/HEYWOOD THYESTES 11 Come face to face, but, we once gone, then stoutly steps our he; And all he carps that there he finds ere half he read to end, 70 And Dial doth of Princes paint, and preach abroad his praise. 90 And what be understands not blames, though nought he can There Sackville's Sonnets sweetly sauc'd and featly fined be; amend. There Nonon's ditties do delight; there Yelvenon's do flee Bur were it so that such were none, how may these youthful days Well pur'd with pen: such young men three as ween thou mightst Of mine in thing so hard as this deserve of other praise?' again 'A labour long,' quoth I, 'it is, that riper age doth crave; To be begot as Pallas was of mighty Jove his brain. There hear thou shalt a great report of Baldwin's worthy name, 95 And who shall travail in thy books more judgemem ought to have 75 Than I, whose greener years thereby no thanks may hope ro win. Whose Mirror doth of Magistrates proclaim eternal fame. Thou seest dame r-;ature yet hath set no hairs upon my chin. And there the gentle Blundeville is, by name and eke by kind, Cra\·e this rherefore of graver age, and men of greater skill. Of whom we learn, by Plutarch's lore, what Fruit by Foes to Full many be that better can, and some perhaps that will. find. But if thy will be rather bema young man's wit to prove, 80 There Bavand bides, that rurn'd his tool a Commonwealth to And think'sr that elder learned men perhaps ir shall behove frame, In works ofweighr ro spend their time, go where .\1inerva's men And greater grace in English give~ to worthy author's name. 100 And fmesr wirs do swarm whom she hath taught to pass with pen. In Lincoln's Inn and Temples twain, Gray's Inn and other mo. 85 Thou shalt rhem find whose painful pen thy verse shall flourish so 91 Sac:k•ille Sic Thomas S., whose 'Sonnets' ( •shon poems) H rather unexpectedly singles That Melpomen thou wouldst well ween had taught them for to our for prai'>C, shared "lth I I an mlerest in Seneca, writing pan of Gorboduc(acted 1561-2) write. which, however, is the fii"t imponant En~mh play of a Senecan rype rather than a And all their works with stately sryle and goodly grace r'indite. translation. Relevant also~ Satkville's contnbution to the IS63 verston of the Muror for Mag~scrates (first pnnted 1559, but begun some years before), in which illusuiou> men There shalt thou see the selfsame 1'\onh whose work his wit recount theu downfall and which both reflects and cultivated an interest in 'tragedy' displays. 91 r .... rJylWC\1 d~11"'-'tl) ~~ru,c.J 92 .\'orton Thomas ~., who wrote the fi~c three aces of Gorboduc, in collaboration wnh Sackville, who wrote the last two. Although a 'diny' m 1560 could be 'any composition in verse', 11 may be llut both~ - and S. were still to do much of their more significant work. 70 Wt' once gone once we are gone (a Latanism) 92 Yelverton Christopher Y. at this stage p.:rru&ps chiefly did write 'dinies', but he took pan 70 swucly arrogantly and fiercely in the writing oft he tragedies ]ocssca (largely a translation from Dolce's ltahan by George 74 ocher mhers Gascoagnc, 1566, to which Y. contributed an 'Epilogue') and The Misfortunes of Arthur, 76 crav~il work hard a very Senecan play that may well have been wrinen mos!ly before 1587-S when it was 79 graver age i.e. men of greater authority :md 'weaght' acted and seen through the pre~s by Thomas Hughe•. Y. did some work on the dumb 80 that better.. . will'rbat know better how to do 11. and some tlwt p.:rhaJ"j are willing' •ho"'"" for this play, which is heavily mfluenced by Thyesces. 81 prove test out 92 flee fly 83 works of weighc as distinct from translations 94 Palla> i.e. Pallas Athena, Greek goddeM of wisdom (Minem1 in Rome, d. 83), daughter 83 Minerva Roman goddess of wisdom of Zeus (the Roman ]ovr) and Meti• (•wise coum.d). Before her birth Zeus swallowed 84 pass surpass, excel bcr mother, and Athena afterwards sprang forth from his bead. 85 Temples twain i.e. the Inner and the Middle Temple, whach together with and 95 Bald,.· in William B., ut>truma~tal in planning and editing tbe Mirror, but also an author Linc~Jn's ofsome stature in his own right, who ru&d collaborated wath H's fad!er(thedramatist John), Gray's Inn form the Inns of Coun, the centre of mucb literary acti\ity-including cranslatiol'l--;U'Ound 1560 roUc.:ted wise sayings, etc. H probably respected him as an editor above all: and eYen H's 86 painful painscaking praise for the Mirror bas hardly been tihared by posterity. which persistently ,-a.Jues 86 1/oun":.h cause co thrive; o:mbellish wnh tlowe~ ofspeech Sack ville as the chief contributor 1<"0rth readmg. 87 Melpomen cf. 20, note 91 B/undrrilleThornas B. produced Three treatises(1561; cf. D\], of which The Frwt> of &7 ,.·cen think Foes \9llo) seems to derive from Plutarch's De Utilitste Csp,ends ex lnimicis. As in otber 89 .\"onb Stc Thomas~., famous for his tran.s!atiom, ~uch u the Di;~J ot"Prin.:es (1557; cf. mstances. tl aPf There Googe a grateful gams hath got-report that runneth rife I have to do the like: whereof though mine be all the blame Who crooked Compass doth describe and Zodia~: of Life. And all to me imputed is that passeth in my name, 120 And yet great number more, whose names if I should now recite, Yet-as of some I will confess that I the author was A ten times greater work than thlne I should be fore\! to write. And faults too many made mysdf when I that book let pass A princely place in Parnass hill for these there is prepar'd, 105 Out of my hands-:.o must I me excuse of other some. Where crown of glitt'ring glory hangs, for them a right reward; For, when to sign of Hand and Star I chanced first to come, Whereas the laps of Ladies nine shall duly them defend To printers' hands I gave the work, by whom I had such wrong, 125 That have prepar'd the laurel leaf abom their heads to bend; That though myself perus'd their proofs the first time, yet ere And where their pens shall hang full h.igh, and fame that erst was h.id long, When I was gone, they would again the print thereof renew, Abroad in Brutus' realm shall Ov. as late their volumes did. 110 Corrupted all: in such a sort that scant a sentence true These are the wits that can dispia)• thy Tragedies all ten, Now Oy'th abroad as I it wrote. Which thing when I had try'd Replete with sug'red sentence sweet and practice of the pen. And fourscore greater faults than mine in forty leaves espy'd, 130 .\ivself. I must confess. I have too much alreadv done 'Small thanks,' quoth I, 'for such a work would Senec give to me, Alxm! my reach. when rashly once with Troas i begun, If he were yet alive and should perhaps it chance to see.' And more presum'd to take in hand than well I brought to end, 115 And to the printer thus I said: 'Within these doors of thine And liule volume with mo faults than lines abroad to send. I make a vow shall never more come any work of mine.' And of that work what men report in faith 1 ne\'cr wist, 'My friend,' quoth Senec therewithal, 'no marvel thereof is: 135 But well I wor it may be thought so ill that litrle list They have myself so wronged oft, and many thlngs amiss Are done by them in all my works. Such faults in every book 101 Googe Barna beG .• chietly known for his &l"'JUN, Ep11apbs and$onncrs ( 1563 •; H refer-. Of mine they make (as well he may it find that list to look) to his translati )n of Man:ellu5 Palingeruus' Zo.Jia,·us \ '11ac (The z,>JiacofLifcJ''hich was That sense and Latin, verse and all, they violate and break; pnnted in 1560 shonly after 711.1"CSics and whicb H must ha\'C known m manwcript. Cf. 267 And oft what I yet never meant they me enforce to speak. 140 101 trJins 1560 gayne>. 'probably r~ad gaync' (D\'); but although s gams seems odd, H may It is the negligence of them. and partly lack of skill, lu1·e u~ plnr.J "proti,.') for 173 goodness perhap• Mason had helped Heywood to become Fellow of All Souls College in 1-16 slander bnng into discredit I SS8 (cf. Dedication, note) 174 escare condition; may refer to H's losing hi> position as Fellow of Merton College earlier 1-16 J~"'·d~v ignorantly; basely 147 misdoubc fear in ISS8 176 durr gratitude due a\ a result of Ma~n·s deserving good deeds (deserts! 151 hun Sir John Mason's de"-ea.sed son (cf. DcdiCiuoo) 177 diligence careful attenuon 154 And .•• time 'and if lhe ad•'allced aptitude of his youth had bcc:o tried out " .. 154 rowardness read r 'wanincss 178 as ..• sen·e i.e. 'according to your bat abiliry' 183 chis Chrisi11Jas tune in 1559; in fact Thye~cesappeared on 26 March 1560, and in any C&$C 156 at>/cd made read•· into H probably did oot manage to complete bis trarnlauon a month after 24 November, when 158 given co hb name dcdicated-s n now is to young Mason's father mstead 162 Efrsoons again be started 165 l'boebus lhe Sun 186 berake commend 165 beam of light 191 £au-beautiful ,.r..ro 192 As as tbough; lhe gold in 194 S«rns to be that of the ink on the leaves of the book(cf. 166 Ganymed~ cup-t>earer for jove, lhe $Uprcmt deity, placed btcr amongst the constellations 227), while the leaves lhemoeh·es are perchmenr·lil THE SPEAKERS 1' I-I YES T E S 0~ TA..' ~iiGO:;aq'j l)at furrc ftll cnfo,ccc~ m• 110 flee ,,~unbspplf Ccacr, ~&Jor g~pc anb tafpe 1U pcror ,,..,; I r~t flrt~ng footJtto uu f 1 1-a. ~ V ·1 U."l!at noll co l£antalut tbc botDJfl .... . w~crc b~tatbrng bobacs bmcll · :J!i!it"Ux.,.. · JbOI- ctJomt ~!tpnt! If OUQ~Cfouab ~· a~cn burning c~urlt of~cU 'tDoJii Jn laltcG alottc ~ o~ r•t tD:l~Cc piAgu; thrn llur.gn .rachrrt' one, Jn barr.c tt1~t ruEt gapte fo~ fool)t: ftlall ~tft• pbue tua none, l:l1111 £·p~~ prr rcCtlco rollrng parre \Jpon mr battle b~ bOJ"C: ": £)~ {tJall mr ls•mm~ Willi Cwpfcu Cill~lll' of WlJirlpnB wl;~clc b~ roJnc ~ C; (!)all mv p~f"'' be E:upui pan~; tbrncrcarpng lpucr Qpll , Xl!>~oec aro wpng guu; t~c gnatDlns trrpca AnO trtc~ac foulc• ooe fell-: a CfJ,n TM Spcak~rs II follows G exactly. even in hi~ arrangement of the 110-o columns. The servant is G's Setvus (Sacellcs=anendant, in L); Phylisthencs is called T1mt~/us in L, a:Jd G'~ Tantalus in L i>. Tancali Fmbra (the 'Ghost of Tantalus', as distinct from Ius grandson wbo iS ali.-e ). A page from the 1560 Thyesres 22 :\CT 11 TH\ESTES 25 Or shall my pains be Tityus' pangs, th'mcreasing liver still, Whose growing guts the gnawing gripes and fllthy fowls do fill, 10 That still by night repairs the paunch that was devour'd by day, THYESTESOF And wondrous womb unwasted li'th a new prepared prey? SENECA What ill am I appointed for? 0 cruel judge of sprites, Whoso thou be that torments new among the souls delights The First Act Still to dispose, add what thou canst to all my deadly woe, 15 That keeper even of dungeon dark would sore abhor to know, TA~TALVS. .\1EG.\ER:\ Or hell itself it quake to see--for dread whereof likewise I tremble would: that plague seek out! Lo now there doth arise [T:\~f:\LUS] My brood, that shall in rni'>chief far the grandsire's guilt outgo What fury fell enforceth me to flee th'unhappy scat, And guiltless make, that first shall dare unvent'red ills to do. 20 That gape and gasp \\ith greedy jaw the fleeing food to eat? Whatever place remaineth yet of all this wicked land \\'hat god to Tantalus the bow'rs where breathing bodies dwell I \\ill fill up; and never once while Pelops' house doth stand Doth show again? Is ought found WOI">e than burning thirst of Shall ~iinos idle be. hell MEG:\ERA In Jakes alow? Or yet worse plague than hunger is there one. 5 Go forth, thou detestable sprite, In ,.ain that ever gapes for food? Shall Sisyphus his stone, That slipper restless rolling peise, upon my back be borne? Or shall my limbs with s\\ifter swinge of whirling wheel be torn? 9 Tzryus pe~rually attacked, in the underworld, by a \'Ulrute picl<.ing aw.~y at his liver 9 cb 'increasinK li•·cr still Tantalus 11\'0nders whether his pain> ,.ill const>t of 'an alw.~y> s.d. Tbe bare memion of the spe-akers is in keeping with the pracuce 111 edttions o~ Seneca growing tiver', because, If he suffered Tityus' fate, it would only grow in order to be current at the tune of H's tran,Iauon The 'ituation is that the ghost of Tantalus is fon;ed devoured again; H translates G's ~per IICCI't'SC'en> iecur(not qui sp«·u vasto paten'~. as to appear from hell by the Fury ,\iegaera to ''fir the strife' ('Preface', 3041 whi(h ex.i>t> inL'I between his grand'Oll> Atreus and 'fhy"'''"' T•nr.lns had, in his tune, colllmiuedacrimc 10 grip<>< \'lthur~ similar to that perpetrated by Atreus in Thy~c~: he ser\'ed up the tlesh of his son Pelo~ 10 fowls birds to the gods (d. I, Chorus, 23 ff.). It is imaginati\'el}· fitting, therefore, that hi' gho>t should II That i.e. Titvus be made to appear when Atreu> will >eek revenge' ag-Jin>t hi> t'trother. who IS keeping his 11 paun•·h ~imply 'belly' wife and the ram with golden tleece a' dc"ribed in II. 45 ff. 12 wondrous wt>mbt.e. as a mira~ulous. full (unw11sred) belly follow> G, Quis me furor num: sede ab mfaustil ~bsrrahu 15 Still to dJ~P<>Se alway> to dt~tribute I fur:r one of the avenging deities called 'Ennyes' by the Greek~ and 'Funuc' by the Romans; 15 rbou canst G poccs ( L pore> c) also='rage' (Lat. furor, not furia) 16 Thar which, referring ba'k to whar in 15, as do it and whereof in 17 I fell fierce 16 keeper the guardian of the underworld (dungeon dark), the terrifying dog Cerberus I rh 'unhJppy sear i.e. rhe underworld; 'the abode of the unfortunate' (the dead) rather than 19 outgo exceed 'the unforrunate abode' 20 guiltkss the Latin suggests that H means thdt Tantalus' off>pring will make him seem 2 Thar i.e. me innocent by comparison; or el~ that the new crime will remove the old one commined 2 gape 'am eager to' as weU as 'open the mouth to' by the 'grandsire'. 2 rbe fleeing foo.i Tantaluo was forever 'tantalized' by frullo which eluded his grasp as ,,oon 22 fill up i.e. with descendants as he reached for !hem; he stood in water ur to hi> neck, t'tutthis receded when he wished 22 Pelops' bouse the family (househol.l, lineage) of Pelops, son of Tantalus, who 'hlld to drink (hence the burning chim of 4' bani,hed his sons for the murder of theu half· brother, Chrysippus, with a CUI"Se upon 3 boK 'r. abodes !hem, that they and their J'O'lent)' might perish by u.:h other's hands. Cpon the death 5 alo"' belm• of !'clops, Atreus n:tumed and took posse5Sion of his father's throne' (L). At this time, 6 Sisyphus like Tantalus. in hell. punished by the gods for mmes; he was always attcmpung he has banhhed his brother Thyestes, but h plotting a more effective punishment for what to push a huge stone uphill which roUed down as won as he got to the top; Tantalus IS Thyestes has done against him (abo,·e, ft.nt note). refcmng to the fact that be is constantly threatened t'ty a stone perched O\'er ~.is head 23 ,\finos a judge 1n the underworld (another punishment) s.d. Megaera is the fury· mentioned in line l, called 'the jealous one'. Traditionally the furies 6 Ius normal for modem 's were thought to be impanial, bunting down offenders. especially near n:Jati,-es, that were I sli~r slippery to be made mad and punished in heU. S's Megaera fits thts notion well enough, but he i peM wetglu seem:. to p~nt her in particular as a personification of the mad and vicious frenzy 8 s>~·inge •rrong circular motion affecting Atreus (?m his jealousy-cf. II. 45 ff.). 8 "·be<"! of Won. who was fore\'er bound to 11 in hell 23 decesub/c acttntuated Jtccsrable 24 26 SENECAIHEYWOOD (ACT I ACT I] THYESTES 27 And vex the gods of ~;eked house with rage of fury's might! Let lust triumph. In wicked house let whoredom counted be Let them contend with all offence, by turns and one by one 25 The light'st offence. Let trust that in the breasts of brethren Let swords be drawn; and mean of ire procure th~e may be breeds none, And truth be gone. Let not from sight of your so heinous deeds Nor shame; let fury blind enflame their minds and wrathful will, The heavens be hid, about the pole when shine the stars on high Let yet the parents' rage endure, and longer lasting ill And flames with wonted beams of light do deck the painted sky. so Through children's children spread. Nor yet let any leisure be Let darkest night be made, and let the day the heavens forsake. The former fault to hate, but still more mischief new to see. 30 Disturb the gods of wicked house; hate, slaughter, murder make. ~or one in one: but ere the guilt with vengeance be acquit, Fill up the house of Tantalus with mischiefs and debates. Increase the crime. From brethren proud let rule of kingdom flit Adorned be the pillars high, with bay and let the gates To runagates; and swerving state of all unstable things, Be gamish'd green, and worthy there for thy return to sight 55 Let it by doubtful doom be toss'd between th'uncenain kings. Be kindled fire: let mischief done in Thracia once there light Let mighty fall to misery, and miser climb to might; 35 More manifold. Wherefore doth yet the uncle's hand delay? Let chance turn th'empire up-so-down, both give and take the Doth yet Thyestes not bewail Ills clllldren's fatal day? right. Shall he not find them where with heat of fires that underglow The banished for guilt, when god restore their country shall, Let them to mischief fall afresh, as hateful then to all The cauldron boils? Their limbs each one apieces let them go 60 As to themselves; let ire think nought unlawful to be done. Dispers'd: let fathers' fires with blood of children filed be, Let brother dread the brother's wrath, and father fear the son. 40 Let dainties such be dress'd-it is no misclllef new to thee And eke the son his parent's pow'r. Let babes be murdered ill, To banquet so. Behold, this day we have to thee releas'd But worse begot. Her spouse betrapp'd in treason's train to kill And hunger-starved womb of thine we send to such a feast. Let hateful wife await; and let them bear through seas their war. With foulest food thy famine fill, let blood in wine be drown'd 65 Let bloodshed lie the lands about and every field afar; And drunk in sight of thee; lo now such dishes have I found And over conquering captains great of countries far to see 45 ·16 lust ll'iumphed when the Troi•n Puis seduced Helen, banning Menelaus; but also wb..n 24 gods the Penates. guardian gods of the family M.'s brother Agamemnon, hero of the Trojan war, was killed by Clytemnesrra and 24 fury·'s H furies .G furiis) may repre,;ent time.~·. though cf. turr in 27 Aegisrhus 26 Let ... drawn G Srri.nganrur enses (plural) 46 whoredom Thyestes seduced Aerope, Atreus' wife, prior to me action of me play. After 26 and . . none and let there not be any moderation of anger a~ something that may t>e his revenge, Atreus, m search of Thyestes, married Pelopia, not knowing mat she was procured (the rare noun procure h. H's addnion) Thyestes' daughter, already pregnant by her own father (the result of me union being l7 fury here not 'a Fury', but 'rage' (Lat. furor) Aegisthus}. Hence, in this family, whoredom might be counted 'the light's! offence'. 29 any possibly 'to anyone' (cuiquam) 47 brelhrl:n the remarks now focus specifically on the Atreus-Thyestes relationship 29 leisure i.e. opportunity, cf. III, Chorus, 48 49 abouc.. when i.e. when about; G cum (not L's cur) 31 ·"'or one in one i.e. 'ramer the opposite: many crimes in many' 49 the pole me sky 31 acquit acquitted, repaid 51 darkest G acra (L alia) 33 rufl3gates fugitives (like Thyestes al thi~ moment) 52 gods cf. 24 33 s"·erving touering 53 G imple scdere Tanraleam domum 35 miser person in misery 53 detmes quarrels 36 up-so-do"·n=modem 'upside down' 54 w1rh bar and i.e. 'and with laurel •• 40 fath~r •.• wn Thyestes feared his son Aegisthus and •·tce versa; ,\\egaera i~ looking mto 55 to sighr' 'to be sten '-a filler the future beyond me action of lhis play 56 Tbracia a Balkan area, Thra..~. The wife of king Tereus, Procne, here gave him his son 41 ill "ickedly 1!)'5 10 eat. Atreus' nuschief is 10 be 'more manifold' in that Tbyestes will consume rhree 42 WON' be-got Thyestes begot upon his daughter a son, Aegisthus sons. 42-3 Her spouse •.. a..-aic i.e. let the hostile wife wait to catch her hu~t>md m a trea As thou wouldst shun. Stay-wluther doM thou headlong way now That ~reaks the ground, or poison like the plague, in wondrous take? wtse That slaughter makes: shall I to such detested crimes apply TANT.~u:s To pooh and floods of hell again and still-dedining Jake, My nephews' hearts? 0 parents great of gods above the sky, 90 And flight of tree full-freight with fruit that from the lip~ doth flee; And mine (though sham'd I be Lo grant), although with greater To dungeon dark of hateful hell let Jeeful be for me 70 pain To go: or if too light be thought the pains that there I ha\·e, My tongue be vex'd, yet this to speak I may no whit refrain Remo\'e me from those lakes again, in midst of worser wave ~or hold my peace: I warn you this, lest sacred hand with blood Of Phlegethon to stand, in seas of fire beset to be. Of slaughter dire or frenzy fell of frantic fury wood Whoso beneath thy pointed pains by destinies' decree The altars stain; I will resist and guard such guilt away. 95 Dost still endure; whoso thou be that underliest alow 75 With stripes why do~t thou me affright? Why threatst thou me to The hollow den, or ruin who that fears and 0\·erthrow fray Of falling hill; or cruel cries that sound in ca\·es of hell Those cralling :-nakes? Or famine fix'd in empty womb wherefore Of greedy roaring lions' throats; or flock of furies fell Dost thou revive? ~ow fries within with thirst enkindled sore .\i.y heart, and in the bowels burnt the boiling flames do glow. Who quakes to know, or who the brand~ of fire in din:-st pain Half-burnt thrmn off: hark to the \'Oice of Tantalus, again 80 MEGAERA That hastes to hell; and (whom the truth hath taught) believe well I follow thee. Through all this house now rage and fury throw! 100 me, Let them be driven so, and so let either thirst to see Lo\'e well your pains, they are but small. \X1hen shall my hap so Each other's blood. Full well hath felt the coming in of thee be This house, and all with wicked touch of thee begun to quake. To flee the light? Enough it is: repair again to dens and loathsome lake .\1EGAERA Of flood well-known. The sadder soil with heavy foot of thine lOS Disturb thou first thi~ house with dire discord; Aggrieved is. See~t thou from springs how waters do decline Debates and battles bring with thee, and of th'unhappy sword - And inward sink? Or how the bank!> lie void by droughty heat? Ill love to kings; the cruel breast strike through and hateful heart 85 \X'ith tumult mad. 89 apply brmg into contact wuh (ro); the question (from G) seems to make good sense after T.~:>;TAI.US Tantalus' fin.t ~cntcnce here, although hh statement that he is like a miraculous killing To suffer pains it seemeth well my part, pestilen~e suggests that it is his lotto 'work woe\' 90 rarenr~ La!. parens, singular-H rna)' have preferred to imitate the sound of his source ~ot woes to work. I am sent forth like vapour dire to rise (cf. Act II, 102), though he often has plural for Lat. singular 92 to ~peak G Joquar (not Joqua.x) 67 thou d) i.e. 'you yourself-Megaera boast~ of the ~rime n' nne 'urpa~>ing TamaJu,·. 93 l~t i.e. 'in order that nor .. .' 6~ 'rill-dedmmg ever-receding : cf. note on rhe tl~mg ti..,.>d, 2' 9-t woodmad 69 fuJJ-fwght fully laden 95 I . .. away I will mnd in the WliY of such a crime and prevent it 70 lcefu/ pcrmi,;>~ble 96 Tantalus now addresses the fury again 73 Phlegerhon a rh·er of the underworld tlowin~ with flame mstead of water 96 stripes lashes of a whip 74 \t'hoso he addr~ses fellow-sufferers m hell; the main vtrb is h.uk in 80 96 afinghr frighten 74 pvinced appointed 96-7 u~hy ... snak~ wh)·, to frighten me, dost thou tluuteningly hold forth those ,.'Tithing i5 $/ill alway> snakes; H crallynr-Lat. ronos 75-6 under/iN ... den liest 1-elow the hollow rock :m fear 100 I follow rhccopening words of .\\.'s spteeh m G, though not in L, where they are spoken i6 ruin .. f<'3rs i.e fears l1llll ,colla~' by Tantalus. G: Scquor, nun.· o furorem ••. 79 /:>rands offire torch~ ('firebrands') of the furies 103 allt.e. the house ~I iij;-.un. Thar i.e. that again 10-t repair anin return Sl "·lk•m ... uughc i.e. me (taught through real expnience 10-t dens caves ( La1. spccus, not 'dense' as in ,\tel S3 dJ> s.d. Chorus the typography in 1560, where a little squiggle preced..-s the name ofwhat Halls il 'spe.Uer' at the beginning of w play, suggats that ne•·ertheless w Chorus wa.s s«n as ha\ine a 1-ery special role, pr-esenting a sprcch "'ilich Clio be interpreted as somewbere ,\nJ I .C. bow 108 and in between being pan of the 'Act' and standing outside 1t. This i> so throughout, except 109 ~arc at w beginning of Act N, where the 'speaker' ii pan of the-reflective-dialogue, 109 ro sJghr cf. 55, oOle absorbing information before commenting on it in the usual mmner at the end of the 110 Thdand ... t1oods i.e. the Peloponn..-sian lslhmu>; rhar (Ill) refers to tlu> (G qui). The Act-a change accompanjed by re-introduction of the squiggle in 1560. combination of place> here is largely fantasuc, as are the e\·ents. cf. Chorm (be:ow), l, I AI8os rowncf. 118 above. The structure of the sentence is essentially 'If any god be found nole to love this Argos town (and Pisey bow'r~ .. . or lungdoms else ... of Corinth's Ill nearrr H uses some curious comparatives here where the La1. simply has 'ne•r' etc., ground . .•); if any god love Taygetus his snows (5) •• . if any god love where (9) clear ~It hough 'broader' (I 13, G latus) may ind1cate thai H feels that Tamalus' presence ha• Alpheus run~ with flood so cold ... ; (if all this is so, THEN) let (11) pleasant pow'r of brough1 about a marked change-notably a disappearance of water his from hence withhold ... ' Ill fords i.e. '<~eb', used already in Ill; this u>e of fords is poetical, correspondmgto Lat. 2 Plsey /low'rs i.e. dwelling places ofPisa {Piseyis adJective), city where the Olympic game> •·ada were held, later called Olympia. Situated in Elis, like ArgO<> (or Argolis) a district of 114-5 Lema • • Phoronides •• r\lphcuo Pcloponnesian river; PelopoM<."SUS. Seneca appears to conflate various pilc..-s in his imagination. 114 rums •.. scream i e. recedes (against its own stream) 3 Corincb my a little south of the Isthmus (above, 110) wruch connects Peloponne>us with 115 pore$ passages, ducts central Gre«e; here Corinrh 's ground clearly ii the Isthmus b well as Corinth 116 boly G sacns (L s.l<."<'r) 4 doubl..- ha•·ens Cenchrae w..s w ea.st pon and Lecbaeum the w..-st pon of w Isthm~a 116 Ci!hil..-ron a moumam range~ aft..-r the brother of Helicon, bur much wildeq Hdicon 4 •und'R'd i.e. separated by w Isthmus became tbe home of Apollo and w Muses); Cithaeron was a place where cluldrtD were 5 T~.•-geru;mountain range in Laconia. another Peloponne$ian area-well south of Argo$ left to djc ~ By wtrw~r .. • fasr which, when in winter they lthe snows) are cast on to the hills by 11 7 sun- se..-ure Bore&$ (the oonh wind ) which blows from Sannatia (a vast area north of Greece), the 118 Aq:os the Clt)'/state where, chiefly, the a.."tion lakes pla.:e; hen.:c 'Argos town' in Chorus, summer with its annual breeu melts away ju~t aa quickly I, soon afler, although the statetoiten called .1rgolis) includes 'fields'. G: agri slim, t>ut 9 Alpbcus trus Peloponne>ian river (running roughly nonb-west) touched the plain of Argj .<11um tn margin. Olympia (cf. Pisey, l ) 118 fonn~rdrvughr which occurred when Ph;telhon !"'rsuaded his reluctant father Helio' t the 10 'Well-known by games which are there called the Olympics . • . ' him Sun) to let drive the chariot of the sun and very nearly >et the eanh on tire t>ccause 12 rurn~ ofscrife i.e. the alternate conflicts between various members of the family he could not control the horse> B-14 'and in order that not a grandson (Atreus) even worse than the grandfather (Tantalus) 119 TJcan the Sun, more or less per>onified a• sun-god, Hyperion. one l>f the Titan\, had b1• arise from our midst, or that even direr deeds(than Tantalus's) should delight the younger Homer been identified with the Sun generation (Atreus)' 32 SE~EC.AJHEYWOOD [ACT I ACT 11] THY ESTES 33 At length lea\'e off and weary be of rage. He turns his eyes, his jaws he doth refrain, Enough is done, and nought prevail'd the just And famine fix'd in closed gums doth shet. 40 Or wrong. Betray'd is Myrtilus and drown'd, But then each branch his plemeous riches all That did betray his dame, and with like trust Lets lower down, and apples from on high Borne as he bare, himself hath made renown'd 20 With lither leaves they flatter like to fall, With changed name the sea; and better known And famine stir, in vain that bids to try To mariners thereof no fable is. His hands; which when he hath rought forth anon 45 On wicked sword the little infant thrown, To be beguil'd, in higher air again As ran the child to take his father's kiss. The harvest hang::., and fickle fruit is gone. Unripe for th'altars' offring fell down dead, 25 Then thirst him grieves no less than hunger's pain; And with thy hand, 0 Tantalus, was rent, Wherewith when kindled is his boiling blood With such a meat for gods thy boards to spread. Like fire, the wretch the waves to him doth call 50 Eternal famine for such food is sent, That meet his mouth, which ::.traight the fleeing flood And thirst: nor for those dainty meats unmild Withdraw::., and from the dried ford doth fall, Might meeter pain appointed ever be. 30 And him forsakes that follows them. He drinks With empty throat stands Tantalus beguil'd; The dust so deep of gulf that from him shrinks. Above thy wicked head there leans to thee Than Phiney's fowls in flight a swifter prey. With burd'ned boughs declin'd on every side, The Second Act And of his fruits all bent to bear the sway, 35 The tree deludes the gapes of hunger wide. ATREUS SERV.-\.\;T. Though he full greedy feed thereon would fain, So oft deceiv'd neglects to touch them yet; [ATREUS] 0 dastard, cow'rd, 0 wretch, and (which the greatest yet of all To tyrant's check I count that may in weighty things befall) 17-18 noughr •.. wrong and nenher what iS right nor what is wrung has availed at all 0 unrevenged! After guilts so great, and brother's guile, 18 Myrtilus did not in fa.:t deceive hi• dame (19. G d<'minJ<') but hi, i<>rd (domin1), Oenomaus, in order to let Pelops WID 0.'s daughter, Hippodamia. Butl'.m tum ceceived 39 turns i.e. away M. by not rewarding him and instead hurled hun into pan of the Aegean 'ea henceforth 40 gums mouth (but Lat. bao 'teeth') called 'Mynoan'. M. cursed the hou'e of i'eloJ)lo while drowning; many disasters 40 shec shut re•uhed. 41 his normal for modern m (no personification intended) 20 Borne Js he bare 1.e. borne down with as mu•h 'trust' a• he bore 43 lirher(even) more pliable and pleasant (to tempt him funher) 22 mariners G has na1icis in margin (na~·ibus in text) 43 they the appk; 22 fabl<' narrauon 43 !Jatteri.e. wath faL'>C hope, beguilingly (Lat. insultanc) 23 infanr Pelops, deceived and butchered like Thyeste•' children in the play, though 44 stir i.e. so as to kindle (the fire of hi~ hunger) afterwards revived by Jupiter 44 char bids which bids him (to try his hands in vain) 27 m~ac 'food', 'dish', a~ well as 'meat'; '.acrifiCJal fe.~~t· 45 rought reached; >tretched 29 unmild das. ATREUS SER\.ANT Thou speak'st of th'end; but I him would oppress with greater What, fire? pain. Let tyrants vex with torment more; should ever in my reign ATREUS Be gentle death? And that is yet too light. SERVAKT Doth piety in thee prevail no whit? SERVA('..'T What weapon then shall sorrow such find fit to work thy will? ATREUS Depart thou hence, all piety, if in this house as yet ATREUS Thyestes self. Thou ever wert! And now let all the flock of furies dire. 75 And full of strife Erinnys come, and double brands of fire SER\'AST ,\iegaera shaking! For not yet enough with fury great Than ire itself yet that's a greater ill! And rage doth burn my boiling breast; it ought to be repleat With monster more. ATREUS I grant: a tumbling tumult quakes within my bosoms, Io, 85 SER\"A.':T And round it rolls. I moved am, and wot not whereunto. What mischief new do~t thou in rage But drawn I am: from bottom deep the roaring soil doth cry, provide? The day so fair with thunder sounds, and house as all from high ATREUS Were rent from roof and rafte~ cracks; and Lares turn'd about Have wry'd their sight. So be't, so be't: let mischief such be Not such a one as may the mean of wonted grief abide. 80 90 No guil£ will I forbear, nor none may be enough despite. sought As ye, 0 gods, would fear! SERVA.l'\T What, sword? SERVANT What thing seek'st thou to bring to ATREt.:S pass? Too licrle, that. [ATREUS) I not what greater thing my mind-and more than wont it was, 71 'You speak about the end of his suffering, but I should like to torment him more before Above the reach that men are wont to work-begins to swell, that is reached' And stay'th with slothful hands. What thing it is I cannot tell, 72-3 Ler . . death obscure. Translates G's Penmac ryr-.mnus: Jeni., m n:gno m SERVANT Thou leav'st thy purpose ill, my mind: if thou thine own forbear, What thing against their uncle now you them instruct to do, Thou sparest him. Wherefore of this let Agamemnon here Perhaps with you to work the like they will not be adread; Be minister; and client eke of mine for such a deed Such mischief wrought hath oft return'd upon the worker's head. Let Menelaus present be. Truth of th'uncertain seed By such a practice may be tri'd: if it refuse they shall, 155 ATREUS Nor of debate will bearers be, if they him uncle call- Though never man to them the ways of guile and guilt have He is their father. Let them go. But much the fearful face taught, Bewrays itself; even him that feigns the secret weighty case Yet kingdom will. Fear'st thou they should be made by counsel Doth oft betray: let them therefore not know how great a guile nought? 140 They go about. And thou these things in secret keep the while. 160 They are so born. That which thou call'st a cruel enterprise And direly deemest done to be, and wickedly likewise, SER\'A~ Perhaps is wrought against me there. I need not warned be, for these within my bosom deep Both faith and fear-but chiefly faith-doth shet and closely SER\'A.'IT keep. And shall your sons of this Deceit be ware, that work you will? ~o secretness there is CHORUS. In their so green and tender years: they will your trains disclose. 145 ATREUS The noble house, at length, of high renown, A privy counsel close to keep is learn'd with many woe~. The famous stock of ancient Inachus, Appeas'd and laid the threats of brethren down. SERVA.'IT But now what fury stirs and drives you thus, And ...,;ll ye them, by whom ye would he should beguiled be, Each one to thirst the other's blood again, Themselves beguilde? s Or get by guilt the golden mace in hand? ATREUS Ye little wot, that so desire to reign, Nay, let them both from fault and blame be free. 151-160 lntrospecuvely, Atreus con~iders rhe advantage of the alternative, but he finishes the For what shall need in mischiefs such as I to work mtend speech (Bur much, 157-ehc while, 160) with the argumenr rhat secrecy is best, at least To mingle them? Let all my hate by me alone take end. 150 for him . Wath And thou ( 160) he turn• again 10 the 5ervant. 151 Thou . .. ill i.e. thou dost ill in fon.aking thy pu~ I 52 Thou ~parc~e him Atreu~ a~sumes that his sons are actually Thyestes's; tbus keeping them 13~8 cf. !tfacberb I. vii. 7-10, 'But in these case•' We still have JUdgement here, that we but free from blame would only benefir h.is enemy (G ilb) teach! Bloody instructions, which being taught return! To piJIJUC th'invemor.' In 138 !52. !54 AgiiiDernnon. Alcntlllus Atreus' wns; cf. I, notes on 42-6 workcr='author' as much as 'doer' (Lat. magi~erum ). 153 ministerbc:lpcr (ofrhi.\, !52-the whole plan) 140 nougbr bad 153 clienr as follower ( G cliens for L